C1noun2K

Counterpart

UK /["/ˈkaʊntəpɑːt/"]/US /["/ˈkaʊntərpɑːrt/"]/

Definition

a person or thing that has the same position or function as somebody/something else in a different place or situation

In simple words: A person or thing that has the same job or function as another.

Examples

  • The Foreign Minister held talks with his Chinese counterpart.
  • The women's shoe, like its male counterpart, is specifically designed for the serious tennis player.
  • European environmentalists have their counterparts in the US.
  • The actress who played the Queen looked uncannily like her real-life counterpart.
  • Women soldiers will join their male counterparts at the army base.
  • corporations that trade with their counterparts in other countries
  • the difficulty of translating terms with no direct counterpart in the other language
  • the modern counterparts of those medieval writers

Usage notes

Use this word in discussions about roles, positions, or items that are similar or equal in different contexts. It's appropriate in both formal and casual conversations, but avoid using it in slang situations.

Grammar pattern

counterpart + of + noun

Memory hint

Think of 'counter' as a matching pair; a counterpart matches another.

Collocations

  • direct
  • modern
  • female
  • have
  • counterpart in

Synonyms

  • equal
  • peer
  • equivalent
  • match
  • twin

Antonyms

  • opposite
  • antagonist

Common mistakes

  • Confused with 'complement' which has a different meaning.
  • Using it to describe unequal items or people.
  • Mispronouncing it; remember to emphasize the 'counter' part.